Hakim Ziyech shows Thomas Tuchel what Chelsea have been missing in Atletico win

The wizard of west London conjured a matchwinning performance to fire Chelsea into the last eight for the first time in seven years.

Hakim Ziyech was nicknamed the wizard of Amsterdam for casting many a fancy spell with Ajax before he joined the Blues in a £37m transfer agreed last February.

And while he has only shown glimpses of that magic for Chelsea, all the tricks came out last night as the Moroccan put on a show.

Ziyech won’t score many easier goals than his strike which broke the deadlock against disappointing La Liga leaders Atletico.

It was his first Champions League goal at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea – and his first at home in the competition since May 2019.

But there was plenty to suggest this could be just the start of things as his Blues career kicks into gear.

Diego Simeone’s side came out fighting after losing the first leg but they were disappointing after having first-half appeals for a penalty turned down.

And even without the likes of Mason Mount, Jorginho, Thiago Silva and Andreas Christensen, Chelsea were comfortable for long spells.

Whatever Thomas Tuchel is doing, it’s working. He has only lost three of the 17 home games he has ever overseen as a manager in the Champions League.

And in this mood the 2012 champions will fancy their chances against anyone.

So often criticised for being negative, Atletico were full of attacking intent, chasing every ball and committing men forward.

And they managed as many shots on goal in the first three minutes as it took them in 55 in the first leg in Bucharest.

Chelsea had a major scare too when Cesar Azpilicueta badly underhit a backpass after Luis Suarez played a magnificent defence-splitting ball.

Yannick Carrasco was about to pounce when Azpilicueta reached around in an attempt to tug his shirt.

Carrasco fell theatrically, but referee Daniele Orsato waved away the away side’s appeals for a penalty, and there was no VAR review.

Moments later Atletico got caught on the counter as Kai Havertz set Timo Werner away down the left and he picked out Ziyech with a low cross.

The former Ajax man was motoring to get on the end of it and smashed it past Jan Oblak to double Chelsea’s lead in the tie.

It was just the sort of goal Chelsea were hoping for, involving all three of their big summer signings, and it put them firmly in control.

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Werner could have made it 2-0 on the night after some more magic from Ziyech but his shot from a tough angle was well saved by Oblak.

Atletico suddenly looked like they had run out of ideas, with N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic bossing the midfield for Chelsea.

Kante had made a vital block on Joao Felix in the first half and was everywhere in the second, plugging holes, winning the ball and making a nuisance of himself.

Suarez, who was flattened early in the game by a fair challenge from Antonio Rudiger, resorted to throwing himself on the ground at every opportunity.

But little seemed to phase Tuchel’s men, who looked cool, calm and collected as they continued to dominate.

And right at the heart of it all, Ziyech continued to sizzle, forcing Oblak into a diving one-handed save with a dipping shot from just outside the box.

Suarez, who had fought a running battle with Rudiger all night, was then given the hook by Simeone.

Stefan Savic's elbow on Antonio Rudiger with 10 minutes to go, which earned him a straight red card, summed up the frustration of Atletico's players.

And substitute Emerson put the icing on the cake as he netted in the closing moments on the counter, set up by Christian Pulisic.

Chelsea (3-4-3):Mendy 6; Azpilicueta 5, Zouma 6, Rudiger 7; James 6, Kovacic 7, Kante 7, Alonso 6 (Chilwell 90); Ziyech 8 (Pulisic 75), Havertz 7 (Emerson 90), Werner 7 (Hudson-Odoi 83).

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Caballero, Giroud, Gilmour, Emerson, Anjorin.

Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak 7; Trippier 6, Savic 5, Gimenez 6, Lodi 5 (Hermoso 46, 6); Llorente 6, Koke 6, Saul 6, Carrasco 6 (Dembele 52, 6); Felix 6, Suarez 7 (Correa 59, 6).

Subs: Grbic, Kondogbia, Torreira, Lemar, Herrera, Felipe, Vitolo, Vrsaljko, San Roman.

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